Next Step Home

02/25/2025

An old man meets a young man who asks: “Do you remember me?”
And the old man says no. Then the young man tells him he was his student, And the teacher asks: “What do you do, what do you do in life?”
The young man answers: “Well, I became a teacher.”
“ah, how good, like me?” Asks the old man.
“Well, yes. In fact, I became a teacher because you inspired me to be like you.”
The old man, curious, asks the young man at what time he decided to become a teacher. And the young man tells him the following story:
“One day, a friend of mine, also a student, came in with a nice new watch, and I decided I wanted it. I stole it, I took it out of his pocket.
Shortly after, my friend noticed that, his watch was missing and immediately complained to our teacher, who was you.
Then you addressed the class saying, ‘This student's watch was stolen during classes today. Whoever stole it, please return it.’
I didn't give it back because I didn't want to.
You closed the door and told us all to stand up and form a circle.
You were going to search our pockets one by one until the watch was found.
However, you told us to close our eyes, because you would only look for his watch if we all had our eyes closed. We did as instructed.
You went from pocket to pocket, and when you went through my pocket, you found the watch and took it. You kept searching everyone's pockets, and when you were done you said ‘open your eyes. We have the watch.’
You didn't tell on me and you never mentioned the episode. You never said who stole the watch either. That day you saved my dignity forever. It was the most shameful day of my life.
But this is also the day I decided not to become a thief, a bad person, etc. You never said anything, nor did you even scold me or take me aside to give me a moral lesson. I received your message clearly.
Thanks to you, I understood what a real educator needs to do. Do you remember this episode, professor?
The old professor answered, ‘Yes, I remember the situation with the stolen watch, which I was looking for in everyone’s pocket. I didn't remember you, because I also closed my eyes while looking.’
This is the essence of teaching:
If to correct you must humiliate; you don't know how to teach."

06/30/2021

Welcome to the new addition to our team...Betsy Masse. An extra pair of hands makes the work go faster and smoother . Welcome Betsy

06/30/2021

It’s been a very busy summer so far..lots of moves, staging and readying houses for the market. Already booking jobs into August. We love it

05/28/2021

It’s been awhile since I last wrote...I needed the time to come to terms with the loss of my husband of 47 years. That one caught me off guard. In the last 7 years I have held the hand of a number of clients who had lost a spouse and they were so emotional during the transition of moving. I now have a new perspective on grieving. I have read all the books and websites on grief...grief is different for every person. My advice? .....take your time ...there is no timetable...and be easy on yourself when you need a ‘timeout’.

Next Step Home has been so busy in my absence...Alicia , Amy
and Barbara haven’t missed a beat. Don’t know how I would manage without them. ❤️❤️❤️

04/03/2021

Easter blessings to my Christian friends and family as we celebrate the holiest of days..Easter.

03/30/2021

Best wishes to all who observe this holy day

03/23/2021

We closed our pop up thrift shop on Saturday, to the dismay of many people we met over the last two months. They liked to be able to come in, spend a few dollars, chat a little and maybe even have a cup of coffee. We will be keeping in touch with some of them directly, and many promise to follow us on FB

03/17/2021

Today Alicia and I hosted our first webinar on Decluttering for the Ulster County Office for the Aging. We are so used to in-person sessions... this was a bit of a challenge. Everyone was very attentive and appreciative of the information we provided.
Thank you to the OFA for inviting us

03/15/2021

Next Step Home are pros in decluttering....call for a free estimate 845-594-5913. Our Spring Sale is on till April 7th...15% off any job.

Senior Move Managers assist older adults and their families with the emotional and physical aspects of either relocating to a new home or "aging in place." We have backgrounds in social work, healthcare, nursing, and psychology, which allow us to help our clients spend their golden years in a health...

02/22/2021

Next Step Home team is ready to roll up our sleeves and get to work helping our neighbors with a move or maybe just helping to make their current home more comfortable and safe. Winter will soon be melting away and a new Spring will emerge.

For the last year we have been living a different lifestyle...but today we see a faint light at the end of that tunnel. Vaccinations have begun and like a beautiful butterfly, people are beginning to emerge from their “cocoons “. Life as we knew it in early 2020 is no more but we are stronger today...more resilient and we realize how little we do need to live a full life.

We know how overwhelming it can be to take those first steps to DeCluttering...let Next Step Home’s team of professional organizers help you through the process. We are a team that dozens of people in the Hudson Valley have trusted over the last six years.

All staff are trained in protocols for COVID safety and have the appropriate equipment and supplies. Team members have been COVID tested in the past and will continue to be tested as we deem necessary.

Call today for a free non commital estimate...845-594-5913.

01/18/2021

An article from an Atlanta newspaper about the Move Management industry...

Senior movers help with issues that come with downsizing, including selling and donating items, as well as deciding what to keep and what to purge. They can help seniors select their favorite things – such selecting a handful of homemade cards and drawings from their children and tossing the rest, or deciding to keeping the teacup and saucer from grandma, but donating the rest of the set. Senior movers can also help digitize photographs and other memorabilia, and put photos into a photo book. And senior move managers also help when adult children don’t live near their parents or don’t have time to help sort through belongings.
Mary Kay Buysse, the executive director of the non-profit National Association of Senior Move Managers (NASMM) said membership has grown from about 20 in 2002 to more than 1,000 members today.
Buysse said the rising demand stems from the growing aging population. By 2030, the elderly will account for one- fifth of the total U.S. population. The proportion of Georgia’s population that is 60 and older is growing more rapidly than other age groups of the population. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that more than 20 percent of Georgia’s population will be 60 and older by the year 2030, an increase of nearly 34 percent from 2012.
Much like the wedding planning industry of a generation ago, Buysse said senior move management has emerged from a little-known role to a trusted resource for thoughtful planning of a major life-changing event. She said adult children, while well-intentioned, may not have the time or expertise to help their parents downsize. And through NASMM, move managers can also coordinate a move from one city to another, working with move managers in other states.
~ Atlanta Journal Constitution, December 17, 2016

Next Step Home is a local Hudson Valley based company. We have been serving seniors and their families since 2014. We can make your downsizing, decluttering, organizing or moving a much easier process. It all starts with a free, commitment -free in home estimate. Each job is unique based on your needs. Call for an appointment...845-594-5913

Colleen Mountford , Owner

01/03/2021

Best Wishes for the coming year. May it be filled with more kindness towards each other....it costs nothing but makes a tremendous difference in people’s lives.